Artist Talk: Nataliya Zuban

Nataliya Zuban (Ukraine, 1992) was a residency at the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam from 2023 to 2025. During that period, she lived at Iona House. Zuban works between the Netherlands and Ukraine and is known for her experimental approach to ceramics, sculpture, installation, and kinetic media. During her residency at the Rijksakademie, she began incorporating movement and sound into her work. ‘Witnessing an event’ (2025) was one of the standout installations she presented during the Rijksakademie Open Studios 2025. It is a ‘self-destructive’ kinetic machine in which ceramic elements rotate against one another, slowly crushing each other into fragments. This work reflects on the devastating impact of war, trauma, and the collapse of systems. Her art explores the material traces of historical and personal events, focusing heavily on the cycles of creation and destruction, vulnerability, and transformation. In addition to her time at the Rijksakademie, she has completed residencies at the European Ceramic Workcentre (EKWC) in Oisterwijk, among others, and regularly exhibits her work internationally. On Sunday, November 22, she will give an artist talk at the Iona Foundation, where her work is also on display. Following the talk, Iona Foundation invite you to stay for a tea art ceremony led by Stephanie Schuitemaker.